Rams Receiver Fighting Back Into The Picture At The Right Time

After overcoming setbacks, Mario Williams dazzles at Rams training camp, vying for a coveted roster spot against stiff competition.

Mario Williams spent last season on the sideline before his Rams story ever really got rolling. On Day 6 of training camp at Loyola Marymount University, he finally gave Los Angeles a glimpse of why the team was interested in him in the first place.

After a quiet start to camp, the undrafted receiver popped with multiple catches all over the field. The biggest moment came on a scramble drill from Bennett, when Williams laid out for a diving grab and drew applause from the crowd at LMU.

That kind of flash matters for a player trying to claw back into the picture. Williams’ 2025 ended in the preseason with an injury, and after the Rams and player reached an injury settlement, he was waived. He didn’t resurface for fans until he signed a futures contract in January.

He still has a long climb ahead. Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, Xavier Smith and CJ Daniels are all ahead of him on the depth chart, and with the Rams expected to lean on a heavy tight end group again, keeping more than six receivers - Puka Nacua, Davante Adams and that quartet - would look crowded.

Still, Williams has given himself a chance to matter. A strong camp stretch could help him compete if injuries open a door, or at the very least lock down a practice squad role and keep him on the radar of other teams.

The appeal is easy to see. Williams put together a productive college run at Oklahoma, USC and Tulane, and his final season with the Green Wave was his best by far. He led the American Conference in receiving yards in 2025, finishing with 1,031 yards and six touchdowns on 17.2 yards per catch over 14 games.

He closed that season on a heater, too. In five of his final six games for Tulane, Williams posted at least four catches and 90 receiving yards, and he found the end zone in each of his last three. Before his preseason injury with the Rams, he had already logged two catches for 46 yards and a touchdown.

At 5-foot-9 and 178 pounds, Williams is still undersized. But the production has always been there, and now he’s back on the field trying to turn one strong camp day into something bigger.

In Other News...

Rams Camp Injuries Are Raising A Bigger Early Concern

The early days of Rams camp have been less about pushing through and more about backing off when needed, with the coaching staff taking a measured approach to keep players fresh for September. Tight end Davis Allen has been working back from a soft-tissue injury, linebacker Ernest Jones has been sidelined with soreness, offensive lineman Justin Dedich remains on the NFI list because of a hand injury, and edge rusher Byron Young is also being monitored as he manages a knee issue.

For a team trying to build momentum without overtaxing anyone, the emphasis on health is understandable, but it does leave a few important spots in a holding pattern. Allens absence in particular has thinned out a position group that benefits from every rep in camp, and the Rams are clearly trying to balance development with caution as they sort through a cluster of minor setbacks before the real work begins. [Read more 🡒]

Former Rams Cornerback Suddenly Walks Away From The NFL

A familiar name from the Rams recent past is out of the league for good, at least for now. The Washington Commanders announced that cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon is retiring from the NFL and has been placed on the reserve/retired list, ending a nine-year run that included stops with the 49ers, Steelers and Rams before he landed in Washington on a one-year deal.

For the Rams, it adds another reminder of how quickly the defensive backfield can turn over from one season to the next. Washington moved to fill the vacancy by signing veteran cornerback Fabian Moreau to its offseason roster, a straightforward roster fix that keeps Witherspoons departure from leaving a larger hole behind. [Read more 🡒]

Aaron Donald Return Talk Just Changed The Stakes For Rams Camp

Aaron Donalds future has hovered over Rams camp for months, and Les Sneads latest update gave the situation a little more shape without clearing anything up. Donald retired after the 2023 season, but the Rams still sound willing to leave the door open, especially with a player whose standard is so high that any comeback would have to feel worth it on the field, not just sentimental on the sideline.

Snead said Donald is pushing his training harder as he gauges whether he can still perform at the level that made him one of the franchises defining players. The timing matters, too, because the Rams have already reshaped the roster this offseason with major additions, including Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie. If Donald is seriously weighing a return, it would add another layer to a camp that already feels very different from the one the Rams expected when the offseason began. [Read more 🡒]